


"In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity" -Sun Tzu, The Art Of War

by ChipperChemical



Series: Dream SMP stuff [6]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Does anyone truly know how to tag? No., Gen, Schlatt talks about being really smart in school a lot so i made him nerdy, Techno has pink hair because i say so, Techno is socially underqualified, Techno relishes in this, all of his dreams just came true, college au i guess??, finally! someone to accurately call a nerd!, honestly peak character design right there, i wrote this during MCC10, i’m a sucker for the “human with goat horns” Schlatt design, my platonic Schlatt & Techno fic brings all the boys to the yard, then again tell us something we don’t know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:13:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26669509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChipperChemical/pseuds/ChipperChemical
Summary: Techno has seen many people come and go, some temporarily, some permanently, some happily, some sadly. It was pretty accurate to say that he’d seen everything.Until today.
Relationships: Dave | Technoblade & Jschlatt
Series: Dream SMP stuff [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2181660
Comments: 5
Kudos: 272





	"In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity" -Sun Tzu, The Art Of War

**Author's Note:**

> y’know that one thing Techno does where he says “bruh” but his voice shakes autotune-style? that describes this entire fic

The new guy had goat horns. Techno blinked.

Of course, since being in that college for a year and a half now, Techno had seen his fair share of students come and go. He'd lost friends, gained enemies, met quiet kids and loud kids, aspiring musicians and writers and politicians and anything else: after all of that, he liked to think that he'd seen everything. But never this. Fucking horns.

The moment that Techno slumped at his usual desk near the back of the room, slinging his bag onto the table and unbuckling it, he reminded himself not to stare at the guy beside him, instead pulling out a worn notebook and dropping it into the table. Rummaging in his satchel a second longer, he grabbed a handful of supplies — pen, ruler, he didn't really pay attention — and set them on the desk too, putting his bag on the floor as he lost himself in thought.

Horns. On their head.

Deciding there was no better way to find out than the source itself, Techno tore a blank page from his book, scrawling down a message in his chicken-scratch handwriting as the lecturer cleared her throat to greet the class. Quickly, before anyone noticed, he slid the note onto the new guy's desk.

'Pronouns?'

The student hesitated for a moment before taking the note and reading over it a few times, beginning to write his reply while Techno studied him, blocking out the teacher's information in favour of curiosity. Luckily, they wrote quickly as they passed the note back, somewhat anxiously eyeing the lecturer.

'Him he. Why?'

His handwriting was neat and precise, a drastic contrast to Techno's childish hieroglyphics. Techno hummed, glancing up to make sure he wasn't meant to be doing anything important before looking back down. Clicking his pen a few times, he thought for a moment, not really wanting to admit that he was just curious about the horns.

Settling on a response, he scribbled his answer, passing it back to the other, who was copying meaningless notes from the powerpoint. Techno almost laughed: his work was colour co-ordinated.

'Important to establish. He/him too. Name?'

Techno watched as the other stifled a laugh, glancing around nervously in what Techno assumed was fear of getting caught before writing again.

'You ask pronouns before a name? Schlatt.'

Almost chuckling, Techno fiddled with his pen as he thought of a comeback, putting his wits to good use as he decided on one, scribbling it down and passing it to Schlatt.

'You write in blue pen instead of black? Techno.'

Schlatt took a moment to read the paper, before furrowing his brows in what could be anger if it weren't for the smile tugging at his lips. Not wasting a moment, he wrote back once again, a spark in his eyes of something that Techno couldn't quite place as he passed the letter back.

'Blue's a good color'

Sighing, Techno shrugged in surrender, twiddling his pen a few times before replying.

'Touché'

Once he'd passed the note over, he looked down at his blank page, realising he'd completely zoned out everything he was supposed to be learning. Oh well; what was one missed lesson going to do? Before he knew it, the paper was back on the corner of his desk.

'Your name is Techno? Welcome to the weird name club'

Techno huffed, knowing that Schlatt was being light-hearted but still feeling slightly insecure anyway. (Then again, he was talking to a guy named Schlatt, so who was he to cry about having an odd name?) Pausing for a moment, he clicked his pen against his face before writing back.

'Thanks! I'm not glad to be here'

Reading the note, Schlatt tilted his head slightly in confusion, a puzzled look behind his eyes as he tried to put the nonexistent jigsaw pieces together of Techno's message, as if there was some kind of secret meaning behind it. Maybe there was, but Techno sure didn't know that.

'No?'

 _Really_ , Techno mentally taunted, _That's all you could come up with?_ Rolling his eyes, Techno wrote out his explanation in as few words as possible, realising that's what Schlatt was looking for. Fumbling, he nearly dropped the note on the floor, but managed to pass it over.

'Too much attention'

This did nothing to help Schlatt's confusion, since he looked from the note to Techno, then back at the note, like comparing two pictures and trying to spot the difference, analysing each tiny detail far much more than was really needed. Without a moment's longer hesitation, he passed the note back.

'Your hair is literally pink'

Spotting this opportunity, Techno grasped it, realising that now was his time to bring up the horns, the very things which started that whole conversation.

'It's a defect. You have horns.'

Schlatt chuckled quietly, glancing to his horns before writing back as Techno bounced his leg in anticipation. Or maybe that was just his ADHD playing up: who's to say?

'I was born with them. I'd rather pink hair'

Grinning, Techno felt a sense of triumph pool into his stomach, despite not exactly getting the answer he was hoping for. Then again, he didn't exactly know what he was expecting, so it was better than nothing.

'I'll take that as a dub. We win theseeeeee'

As he read, Schlatt nearly laughed, rolling his eyes playfully and folding the paper, tucking it into his pocket and looking to the projector screen. Taking that as a sign that their conversation was over, Techno sighed softly, also facing the projector and scrawling a quick title, taking down as many notes as his quickly burning attention span would allow.

After many more moments of slack note-taking, not trying as hard as he should be to catch up on what he missed, Techno was taken aback to see the note back on his desk, a new sentence written on it in that familiar blue pen. Wanting to make a quip about how irresistible he was, Techno stopped himself, simply grabbing the note and reading.

'You messed up'

Techno blew air out of his nose, smiling and trying his best to hold it in. The note sounded so vaguely like a super villain threat that he couldn't help himself.

'Coming to this college or talking to you?'

Rolling his eyes, Schlatt read over the note again, writing his response quickly before getting back to copying his notes.

'On your work. You got the definitions the wrong way round'

Blinking a few times, Techno looked from the paper to his work, realising that Schlatt was right: he'd gotten two of the definitions for the words mixed up. Sighing, he drew an arrow to them both, signifying that they were the wrong way before writing back.

'Why were you looking at my work? Trying to copy me, huh? I'm onto you'

Schlatt smiled, raising an eyebrow at the note before replying.

'Didn't I literally just correct you? Why would I cheat off someone with so little braincells?'

Scoffing, Techno glared playfully at Schlatt, who stuck his tongue out in retaliation. With a sigh, he quickly scribbled his response, subconsciously hoping that Schlatt wasn't having difficulties with his handwriting.

'You're a nerd'

Despite being in a lecture, Schlatt nodded at the note, contently agreeing to Techno's intended insult. With a moment of thought, he replied.

'True, true. And you're interrupting my note-taking. I'm very passionate about it, you know'

Techno raised an eyebrow, reading the message over again.

'You're the one who initiated conversation with me'

As he read, Schlatt's shoulders relaxed — Techno hadn't even realised they were tense — and he sighed in faux-disappointment.

'You're the one continuing it'

Snickering, Techno glanced at Schlatt, who had abandoned his notes and was instead looking around the room, examining each person with the stare of a serial killer. It unnerved Techno slightly until Schlatt looked at him and smiled warmly, before going straight back to his burning gaze.

'Can't argue with that'

Schlatt thought for a moment, as if he was mentally debating something, before writing again; whatever he was thinking of saying, he likely gave in.

'Techno's a cool name. Reminds me of a disco ball'

Like he had done many times that day, Techno rolled his eyes, huffing a slight laugh as he wrote back.

'Schlatt's a cool name. Reminds me of the mattress supports on a bed frame'

Techno basked in how Schlatt's eyes widened at the note, obviously taken aback by the obscure comparison. Though, his shock quickly morphed into am impressed smirk as his eyes flitted to Techno then back.

'Haven't heard that one before. I'll give it to you. You win'

Techno resisted the urge to fistbump the air, instead simply grinning to himself proudly. In a moment, he scrambled to write his answer, not wasting a second.

'YESSSSSSSSSS'

Schlatt laughed, covering his mouth with his hand and squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to stifle the obnoxious laughter. Noticing this, Techno chuckled quietly, the two students sharing a single moment of child-like enjoyment.

It was going to be a good class.

**Author's Note:**

> wow i sure wish i could think of something witty for the end of the story


End file.
